As with many new developments dotted around the city, it is a challenge to create a beautiful, cohesive space that is your own and does not look like a copy of a showhome.

Certainly, some of us find showhomes inspiring, as they are often packed with some clever decorating solutions, but on the other hand, some of us want to create something quite unique that is more suited to our lifestyle.

Katie Malik Interiors has been very lucky to be appointed to design one of the apartments built by Aura, just off Long Road.

The brief was to design the apartment in such a way that it would feel like a boutique hotel – elegant, comfortable, spacious, where one could relax and indulge in a glass of Prosecco after a long day at work.

Here, every single little item or accessory has been placed very carefully, and the artwork for the living area has been commissioned especially.

The dining room. Picture: Maciek Platek Food & Interior Photography

Katie Malik Interiors worked closely with the artist to select the right palette for the painting that now sits above a sideboard in the entrance to the living area.

The clients opted for a monochromatic interior scheme, meaning that one colour’s family is used on almost every surface or textile in the space.

Of course, what this doesn’t mean is that monochromatic space has to look like someone came through with a single bucket of one colour and painted everything; rather, “monochromatic décor” excels in nuances of that colour – a tint here, a tone there and shades everywhere else.

All bedrooms flow together beautifully thanks to a limited colour palette. Instead of focusing on colour matching and colour contrasts, we focused our creativity into furniture and the little details that gave this home its unique personality.

The only question remains: Would you ever want to leave an apartment which has everything to make you feel like you’re actually staying in a boutique hotel?